根據行政院衛生署的統計資料顯示，近十年來腎臟病罹患率已居所有疾病的第四位（行政院衛生署，2006）。而此類慢性疾病的病程中，病患常會出現體液滯留的問題，使限制水份成為臨床上不可或缺的醫療處置。病患可能因被限制水分攝取，使口渴的生理需求無法獲得解決而造成其生理及心理方面的困擾。而臨床上護理人員常著重於限制病患水分的攝取而忽略了口渴對病患身心造成的困擾。因此，本文藉由文獻查證，討論透析病患口渴的定義、原因、對病患的影響、評估、臨床處置及護理，期望在護理實務上能幫助護理人員在照顧此類病患時，能擬定更有效的護理措施，提供病患個別性的護理照顧，改善病患口渴的問題，以促進病患的身心舒適。

Renal disorders have been ranked among the top four common diseases in a recent 10-year health report from the Department of Health, Executive Yuan (Executive Yuan, 2006). Patients with chronic renal disease are prone to fluid retention and are consequently restricted when it comes to water intake. Limitation of fluid intake brings both physiological and mental discomforts since the physical demand of thirst cannot be solved. Nurses usually focus on the restriction of water and lose sight of the impact of thirst on the sufferers. Herein we try to look into the definition and causes of thirstiness, as well as its impacts on dialysis patients, by means of reviewing the literature. Also, we will discuss evaluations, clinical assessments and the nursing of these patients, in detail. In this way, nurses will be able to provide more practical and solid services. By providing individualized nursing care, nurses will not only improve the thirst problem but also bring greater comfort to the patients.